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Text Two weeks passed without much of note: Luna and Scrivener felt almost as if Odin was purposefully avoiding them, the once-god not even giving them any tasks as the two ponies divided their time between working around their cottage and working around Ponyville, fixing the buildings that had been destroyed and laying new sod, soil, and sand where the corrupted ground had been removed. In those productive two weeks, they successfully restored the landscape and did most of the repairs to the destroyed homes with the help of the surprisingly-competent Nibelung. They also finished off their own cottage, decorating and detailing their bedroom, setting up the furniture, and cleaning it from top-to-bottom as Pollen puttered around in the backyard and helped them by setting up their garden. Discombobulation often watched this from the safety of the small, covered aquarium Luna took out of a pet store in Ponyville for him: while still too weak to spend a lot of time outside his sealed sanctuary, he was now much healthier and starting to gain more of his old powers back as his body healed from its ordeal. The aquarium was like a little safe room for the Draconequus, and Luna seemed to enjoy the task of taking care of the creature like a very strange pet: every now and then she would toss some candy in for him, refill his water dish with cola or coffee depending on what was at hoof, and shove her face against the glass as she peered in at him while Discombobulation pointedly ignored her. Scrivener often wondered how this boded for the foal they planned to have one day: she would either be an excellent mother, or she would accidentally kill the child with sugar and smothering affection. All the same, time passed in welcomed peace: Pollen was friendly and quiet and liked working in the garden and helping out around the house, Discombobulation only made a nuisance out of himself on rare occasion, and Scrivener and Luna were able to feel like their home was left in good hooves while they returned to corrupted Equestria. Discombobulation and Pollen had seen them off that morning and wished them well. They were both surprised when they found not only Odin, but Zecora in the field, awaiting them with a smile, and the once-god turned his eyes to them as they approached. "Your friend here is very interesting, Brynhild. Her knowledge of potions is most impressive, and her generosity a welcome sight." "Your friend flatters me, I must admit, and my help I gladly submit. You've all done much for the world after all, helping to bring so much back from death's pall." Zecora said kindly, bowing her head humbly, and Odin chuckled and clapped his hands slowly. "I think that will never cease to impress me." He gave her an entertained look, then turned his eyes towards Luna and Scrivener, glancing over them both before he asked curiously: "Brynhild, where is your spear?" "Hanging in my home, hopefully out of Discombobulation's reach. I do not need it, Odin, my worst foes are vanquished... let that piece of my soul rest healthy at home." Luna answered, and the once-god crossed his arms as he gave her a moody look. "Oh, be silent, cyclops. I am not being arrogant, I am being cautious. I would be loathe to lose it." "I... suppose." Odin rubbed slowly at the scarred side of his face, and then he nodded finally before holding up one finger as Luna began to step forwards. "I want to remind you to come across the Bifrost the moment you begin to sense reality heading for total collapse. I will attempt to send you a warning if I see signs of it beginning, but much of my time will be spent outside of Valhalla these coming months. Either way, be wary." "Worry not, old lecher. Besides, it is not like thou shan't see us again, or we shan't be returning to this layer of reality. We have other entities to escort now." Luna smiled slightly, and Zecora cocked her head curiously before the winged unicorn grinned and tipped her a wink. "Worry not, Zecora, 'twill be nothing that I cannot handle. But we have brought the light to this world, now we must add a little darkness, for the sake of balance." "For some reason that does not soothe my fears, it rather makes me nervous for whatever nears." the zebra said moodily, and Scrivener nodded agreeably as Luna continued to grin. The black-and-white equine sighed, then shook her head before saying moodily: "I suppose the choice is yours to make, just please take care for your own sake." "Aye, that we shall." Luna nodded once, and then she glanced towards Odin as the once god reached into his jacket, producing his flask. "Oh, hurry up, old lecher. I am anxious to return and to begin making deals with devils. It should prove a far simpler task than saving souls." Odin only rolled his good eye as he sipped ambrosia, then corked the container and put it back in his jacket. He laced his fingers together in front of his chest as he closed his eyes and muttered: "Please try not to enjoy this too much, Brynhild. It comes across as a bit evil." "Only a bit? I shall strive to try harder, then." Luna replied mildly, and she and Scrivener lowered their own heads in tandem as her horn began to slowly glow, her mane and tail sparking and sizzling backwards as they took a long, synchronized breath, feeling the power building in the air as the ponies moved in time and Odin murmured under his breath, the sound helping Luna time her own magic as Zecora stepped slowly backwards in amazement. The whirlwind of flames erupted from the ground, spinning forwards and ripping through reality before forming into the rainbow bridge... and while it looked pale and the white flames flickered low, it was still there, still tangible, and Odin grimaced as he stumbled back a step with a curse and Scrivener and Luna both arched their backs with pained winces, electricity sizzling over them both before they dropped their heads forwards with matching gasps. Then Luna cursed and shook her head quickly as Scrivener gritted his teeth and straightened, before the winged unicorn glanced towards Odin and said finally: "Old cyclops... thanks." With that, Luna ran forwards towards the bridge, and Scrivener called an awkward goodbye to the two as Zecora waved a hoof and Odin looked up with a smile after the ponies as they charged up the arching, sizzling bridge and into the hole in reality. Energy surged along their frames as they passed through the tunnel beyond, making them both laugh despite themselves... and within what felt like seconds, they were out the other side, charging down the ramping rainbow bridge to the ground below, both leaping off into the rotted wasteland and skidding to a halt as they gazed over their shoulders. The burning bridge of multicolored light sizzled and twisted... then shattered into pieces, bit-by-bit, as the hole in reality sparked closed. In only seconds, it had dissolved completely, leaving no trace behind except for a faint shimmering in the air that soon faded as well, and Scrivener Blooms and Luna traded a look and a smile before the two ponies stepped towards one another and nuzzled affectionately beneath the lowered, burning sun in the red sky. They both breathed a little hard, still feeling a faint euphoria from the run as always... but it was quickly fading now, both ponies becoming more serious as they gazed back and forth at the reality they had stepped into. After only a few weeks in Looking Glass Equestria, they had both almost forgotten what this world was like, what they would be returning to... and it hurt them both to gaze at the world around them before Luna frowned and murmured: "Wait. Something has changed." Scrivener looked towards the winged unicorn curiously as she strode slowly forwards, over rotted earth and icy tundra... and then she grimaced as she glanced up and muttered: "What wickedness is this?" The earth pony allowed his eyes to draw upwards... and he shivered a bit as he saw the red sky had turned black in places, as if it had been torn like thin skin. Even stranger, here and there enormous, shattered pieces of stone floated, but they were not just from the demolished moon... there were too many pieces, of too many different sizes. And when his eyes traveled on instinct towards where the ruins of Canterlot were and the surrounding mountains, he realized that some of the peaks now looked as if they were floating, rocks and crags hovering silently, senselessly, and Luna shook her head as her own eyes gazed towards this. "Reality is losing cohesion. The beasts of Ginnungagap would not den here, after all... this layer of reality is too broken, too twisted with Helheim's perverse presence." Scrivener nodded slowly as he looked towards Luna, and she shook her head as her mane twisted slowly backwards, murmuring: "I had doubted in Odin's knowledge before, to be honest... but this means that he is right, whether I desire him to be or not. 'Tis awful to see, and more worrisome than I can say... it is like reality is beginning to slowly lose its laws and sense." "But we're not going to back down, are we?" Scrivener asked softly, and Luna gave him an amused look over her shoulder, which made the earth pony smile in spite of everything before he turned in the direction of their cottage, beginning to walk as he murmured: "I dunno why... but that strangely relieves me." "Maybe thou art anxious to have some Nightmare servants to order around." Luna remarked airily, and Scrivener groaned and dropped his head forwards before the winged unicorn laughed as she strode quickly up beside him with a grin. "Or maybe thou art taking on some of my positive qualities. 'Tis about time, Scrivy, we have only been soul-bound for more than a dozen years now." "Well, you know, you had all those negative qualities I had to learn first." Scrivener replied reasonably, and Luna gave him an amused look as they headed slowly over the barren tundra together, the male grimacing a bit. "I think there's more ice here, too." Luna grunted in agreement after a moment, and she hesitated a bit before looking towards him... but the earth pony only shook his head, saying softly: "I know I've been quiet this last while, I know. I guess I've just been thinking a lot about things. But I'm... ready to keep pressing forwards now, and we've discussed this into the ground. And I haven't heard a whisper from Valthrudnir's echo... I think if I keep in mind that it's not really him, it's just some... some godawful memory-thing of him, some illusion brought on from the corruption eating its way through my brain... it helps a lot." He quieted, then looked up and smiled a bit, glancing over at her. "And I think I am... trying to be more like you. Or well, I'm trying to learn how to do that thing where you just... finally laugh or break something and everything's okay for a little while. I want to learn to do that." "Aye, it would be nice if thou didn't brood and sulk constantly." Luna replied gently, and Scrivener checked her lightly even as he laughed a bit before the winged unicorn bumped firmly back against him. "But worry not, Scrivy. Thou may take forever to get over the silliest of things, but at the same time thou compartmentalizes everything else and leaves me in awe – or perhaps just frustration – that thou can simply... move forwards even at the worst of times." "Stubbornness issues." Scrivener responded mildly, shrugging a bit as he looked ahead. "What's important is important to me, what isn't... isn't. And what has to be done... has to be done. Should I say a few other repetitive, senseless sentences to sound even sager?" "Nay, the point is clear. Thou art an idiot." Luna shoved him lightly, and Scrivener snorted in amusement before the winged unicorn's eyes flicked towards the low sun moodily. "'Tis like walking beneath a guttering lamp. We shall have to be alert when passing through the Empty Forest, Scrivy... long shadows invite wicked creatures to come out and play, and I am sure not all of them will be interested in our offering of peace." "That's what I love about you, Luna, how positive you are." Scrivener said after a moment, and Luna rolled her eyes but smiled all the same as the male added in a more-serious voice: "How will we know what to save and what not to?" "The same way we knew what Pales should remain behind; we trust in our instincts, and our knowledge of these creatures. I am a good judge of character and thou possesses a ridiculous repertoire of mostly-true stories about all sorts of creatures of the night in thy mind." Luna gave him an entertained look. "We shall mix generalization and astute observation, and this way, figure out what is worthy to cross and join our new world." Scrivener nodded slowly, and they were both quiet for a while as they made their way towards their home. Their attention was soon drawn by the state of the world around them instead of thoughts of taming darkness, however, as they approached the Empty Forest and found it had become a sea of gnarled and twisting trees, the blackened hulks moving slowly but visibly in tandem, like ripples spreading through the surface of some forsaken pool. Here and there, other trees had merged together and grown into freakish sentinels with branches ending in what seemed almost like grasping fingers that clawed at the air of their own volition, towering over the forest and seeming to peer down at it from their naked, headless trunks, and Luna and Scrivener avoided these on instinct; their worries were confirmed when they watched a Velite Drake snatched up by one of these strange tree-beasts when it drew too close before the skeleton was torn into ivory confetti like it was nothing more than wax paper, and the two ponies hurried onwards through the miserable forest. In the distance, the Frozen Reef had slipped closer towards their home, and now leaned ominously forwards like an immense tidal wave, rivulets of water running off the melting ice. As the two equines made their way towards the cottage, they both wondered what had brought the world from a state of death to undead mutation, and if the Black Wolves of Hell no longer being present in this layer had something to do with it. They pushed these thoughts aside as the sun fell lower in the sky, resting in a state of endless sunset that cast gloomy shadows across the world. As they traveled through the swaying, gnarled trees, stepping over roots that twisted like snakes along the ground, they were both aware of things following them in the darkness, of eyes watching them intently, and then shapes sweeping hurriedly ahead... and so neither were surprised when they reached their cottage and found five Nightmares waiting for them, half-hiding in the shadows cast by the looming trees and their damaged home. Their bodies were steaming faintly in the red light cast by the lowering sun, looking apprehensively back and forth before one of them rose its head, whispering: "Look, our... our big sister approaches..." "I am not thy sibling, and nor is Nightmare Moon, for the last time." Luna replied irritably, and the Nightmares looked back and forth nervously before the winged unicorn sighed and lowered her head, then grimaced up towards the stained and broken sky as she muttered: "But speak quickly, creatures. What business does thou have with me?" "Our siblings found you before... sought to strike a deal with you. You seemed to consider, and we will do anything to escape this wretched world..." the Nightmare that had already spoken answered hurriedly, shivering a bit in the dark shadows beside the cottage, its eyes gleaming as the smoky black hell-horse looked back and forth nervously. The other Nightmares seemed content to allow it to talk for them, however, and the demonic horse continued nervously: "We are few now... so many of us have returned to the graves and the darkness and the ether... we need your help." "A plainspoken plea for mercy. I do not know whether to be moved or sickeningly-amused, considering the trouble thy kind has given me in the past." Luna muttered musingly, looking down thoughtfully, and then she shook her head slowly. "If I am to save thy kind, the terms of the deal will not be fair to thee. And first off, I desire to know what is happening in this world... it looks as if in the time I have been gone Equestria has transformed from corrupted and dead into a falsely-living mockery of Helheim itself." The Nightmare nodded rapidly, bowing itself low as it whispered: "The world sinks deeper and lower into Helheim, the place we all sought to escape. The demons smell the end approaching, and they have given themselves up to infighting and destruction. They no longer seek a method of escape... they only seek to kill as many as possible before they fall into destruction themselves. "We are not a threat to you. If we threatened you, we lose our chance to escape. There are so few of our siblings left... thirty, maybe fewer if the demons have found our brethren, maybe more if others hide still. We cannot travel during the day like the more-powerful entities of shadow can... even with the sunlight's faintest rays, look at us, we burn. To demons, we are tender morsels... made up of broken souls and living emotions, they capture us and serve us as bribes to their betters to buy themselves more time to survive." The Nightmare looked up, whispering: "But in a world where there is deep night as well as endless day, we would stand a chance for survival. We'll be your spies, your whisperers, your conspirators. We'll swear loyalty to you. Honor is a concept older and more sacred than any mortal pony could ever appreciate." Luna muttered a bit, looking down, pretending to consider, and Scrivener glanced towards her quietly, knowing why she was drawing this out. The Nightmares were conniving and would exploit any vulnerability they could find, from their experiences: they had to be handled with great caution. "I shall... accept the offer only on the condition that I have thine loyalty, without question, without consequence. Thou must do as I say, without argument, without seeking thine own ends. This is not a negotiable deal to bend to thy favor and I do not trust thee. All of thee will be kept on a short leash." "Anything, anything you desire... but we do not wish to die. We have lived for centuries and you already know that we fear death and all it takes." the Nightmare murmured, shaking its head quickly. "You shall set the terms. You shall give us the contract. We will obey you, indefinitely and without question, but please just save our lives..." "Then go for now, dark specters. Gather the other Nightmares and other servants of the darkness that I can trust, and in a week's time or so I shall bring about night to this poisoned layer of reality. Then thou shalt return here, and we shall seal a deal between us." Luna ordered calmly, gazing slowly at the Nightmares around her, and they whispered eagerly in the shadows. "Consider this thy first task, and 'twill set the tone for our future working relationship. I would therefore recommend doing thy best work." "You shall not be disappointed then, mistress. Siblings... let us take our leave." The Nightmare by the house glanced quickly back and forth, looking strangely eager before it flickered out of sight, and one-by-one, the other shadowy equines vanished as well, until Scrivener Blooms and Luna were standing alone in front of their damaged cottage. The sensation of their presence faded, and Luna shook her head with a quiet laugh before she glanced towards Scrivener Blooms, and the earth pony met her gaze as he murmured: "Well, I guess that could have gone worse, huh?" "Aye, but we'll see what the creatures have to say when they return... and there could still be trickery and traps ahead, so we must remain wary." Luna hesitated, then she looked quietly towards their cottage, saying softly: "I hope we are doing the right thing. It is not that I have never worked with such ilk in the past, only that... I hope I am not starting down a path that will lead to frustration and pain in the future. Still, if the keep their word... I believe that it will benefit our Equestria in the long run." She halted, then looked slowly over the damaged cabin and continued softly: "But we will need to be careful. This Equestria has become even more dangerous now... we will continue to live and fight here, to try and find any surviving Pales we can, but we must be wary. If the demons have begun destroying one another as well as everything around them, they will surely seek to challenge us as well, should the chance arrive." Scrivener Blooms nodded slowly, then he strode carefully forwards towards the door of their home, pushing it open... and grimacing as he gazed inside to find the walls cracked and the floor torn-up, muttering: "It looks as if we've already had a few unwelcome visitors... the wards might be broken, too. Are we going to stay here?" "Aye, Scrivy. I shan't let anything chase us from our home." Luna said firmly, and then she paused meditatively and added after a moment: "But thou should go in first. Thou art blocking the doorway anyway, and... thou makes a good scout, and a better shield. Just in case." "Oh, thank you, brave and legendary Luna Lightblade." Scrivener muttered, and Luna huffed and poked at his flank with her horn, making the male wince a bit and kick lightly at her before he strode inside and down the corridor, grimacing a bit as he looked back and forth. Luna followed after a moment, and while Scrivy checked the den and the kitchen, she hunted through their bedroom and then checked on the magical wards both inside and outside. Much of their home had been wrecked, and Scrivener grumbled under his breath as he squashed several ugly, gelatinous, but apparently-alive masses of bubbling slime, and when Luna returned from outside she said disgustedly: "The magical battery has been drained in its entirety. 'Twas likely wraiths, which attacked the wards and drained every bit of energy they could from our home." "What about the living goo? I've never seen anything like that before." Scrivener said grouchily as he carefully wiped up the last of the mucky once-alive substance from the cracked kitchen floor, but Luna only shrugged a bit in response. It made the male sigh and grumble as Luna lit the fireplace, and he dropped his head forwards as he muttered: "And here, betwixt the first phase of life and the last phase of death, I enter now into metamorphosis, to become the unbecoming." Luna smiled wryly from where she laid on the ripped bedding at this, the winged unicorn looking over her shoulder towards the kitchen as she felt a strange twist run through herself at the quoted poetry, as she wondered how much Scrivener's words applied not just to the world around them but themselves as well. She only hoped that while this world fell into shadow, its death would signal the beginning of their new life in Looking Glass Equestria, and not their own fall into the deep darkness of death... or worse. Top ↑ Category:Transcript Category:Story